Like many, Chad Horsham, LUTCF®, CLU®, ChFC®, RICP®, got into the insurance and financial services industry through serendipity. In 2004, he ran into his real estate agent while out on a walk with his dog. When she heard he was looking for a new job, she suggested he look into New York Life Insurance Company. Nineteen years later, he’s a financial advisor through Eagle Strategies, LLC, an insurance agent at New York Life, and owns his own agency, Horsham Financial Group.
The best part of his job, says Horsham, is helping people accomplish their goals and realize their dreams. He loves forming deep and lasting connections with his clients, helping them plan for their present and future through difficult and joyous times alike. He works with a variety of clients, but most are middle-class families. When he started out, his clients were close to his own age. Throughout the years, he’s moved through life stages with those early clients, now beginning retirement and pre-retirement planning. His goal is to cultivate generational clients as his practice continues to grow.
Horsham recalls an experience that reinforced for him the importance of his work. He was advising a man who was considering canceling his life insurance policy because he was expecting stock options the following year as a part of a buy-sell agreement. Horsham convinced him to keep his life insurance and reevaluate their plan the following year. Nine months later, the man passed away. Even though the stock options weren’t available yet, his wife and children were protected with his life insurance policy. They were able to stay in their home and grieve without worrying about their financial security. His client’s widow didn’t have to go back to work, and his children’s education was paid for.
There are several qualities that help make insurance agents and financial advisors successful, says Horsham. One important trait is having thick skin. “You have to recognize that ‘no’ doesn’t mean forever,” he begins. “It just means not now.” Horsham also believes It’s crucial for agents and advisors to be good educators. “We have such a unique opportunity to educate our clients,” he says, adding that the role of an advisor is to offer an objective perspective without the emotional attachment clients have with their money.
A Past President of NAIFA-Omaha, Horsham has served in many leadership roles within NAIFA. During his time in leadership, he saw the impact that NAIFA’s political advocacy had on the insurance and financial services industry. When he joined the NAIFA-Omaha board, there were several Department of Labor changes in the works and NAIFA played an important role in advocating for the DOL to revise their proposals.
In addition to his leadership within NAIFA-Omaha, Horsham is also involved with New York Life’s political advocacy efforts, was on the steering committee for NAIFA-NE's Legislative Day, and attends NAIFA’s Annual Congressional Conference in Washington, D.C.
Horsham believes in NAIFA’s value and mission. Recently, at the end of a presentation at a local New York Life meeting, he asked the whole audience to stand. He then asked the NAIFA members to sit back down. For those left standing, he presented this offer, “If you join NAIFA and don’t get the value for your membership, I’ll pay for your first year of membership.” He got several takers that day. “I'm on the hook for a few dollars," he begins. “But my guess is, if they put any effort whatsoever into it, they're going to get their [money’s worth].”
Being a part of NAIFA leadership helped shape Horsham’s practice. He shares that the relationships he’s built with professionals outside his business area were a huge catalyst for some of his success. “[NAIFA] is your career insurance,” he says. Horsham also takes advantage of NAIFA’s opportunities for networking and referrals, helping his clients get the best possible experience.
When he’s not working, Horsham stays involved in his community, volunteering with Project Harmony, a child advocacy center, and Mourning Hope Grief Center, a child bereavement organization. In his free time, he coaches his son’s baseball & basketball teams and enjoys cheering on the Duke Blue Devils basketball team and of course his home state Cornhuskers!
HORSHAM FINANCIAL GROUP is not owned or operated by NYLIFE Securities LLC, Eagle Strategies LLC or any of their affiliates. NYLIFE Securities and Eagle Strategies are New York Life companies.